He and She
by dhawthorne
Summary: Mary always returns to London for a reason. Bert always remains in London for a reason.
1. He

He

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A/N: My first Mary/Bert story. Please be kind.

Disclaimer: Don't own Mary Poppins or anything recognisable.

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He is the reason she always returns to London.

They grew up together, and at seventeen she first realised that she was in love with him. That was the first time she had ever been away from him for more than a week. He was nineteen, and he had taken a job in the Navy.

She wrote to him every day, but only mailed one letter a week. He wrote back once a month – short, brief letters.

When she began to go away, too, she always returned to London, no matter how far away she went – she loved him too much to stay away.

But when she saw him kissing a woman one day, she wished that she had never returned.


	2. She

She

* * *

She was like a sister to him, when they were growing up – the sister he never had. She is two years younger than he.

When he, at nineteen, took a job with the Navy, and left her, he realised that he was in love with her. She wrote to him every week, like clockwork. He didn't want to give his feelings away, so he only mailed one brief, impersonal letter to her once a month. Every night, however, he would write a long letter to her, filled with words of love. He never mailed them.

After he returned, she began to go away, too – but she always returned to London. He supposed it was because her roots were there. He supposed it was because everyone needs a starting point.

He was lonely when she wasn't there – so lonely that he ended up kissing a woman one day. She was short, blonde, plump – the exact opposite of her. That girl could not replace her. He wished that she returned his love.


	3. The Beginning

Chapter Three: The Beginning

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A/N: After numerous requests to continue this story, and after much help from ForeverJulie, I've decided to continue.

This story is dedicated to all the people who wanted me to continue, but especially ForeverJulie for all of her advice and ideas. THANK YOU!

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Mary Poppins, an orphan, was raised by her mother's brother, a congenial man named Albert. Uncle Albert wrote a weekly advice column that was published in the newspaper.

Mary had a happy enough upbringing, and, though she did not have many friends, she did have one very close friend – her neighbour, Bert.

Bert's father was a stern Navy captain, and was away quite often. Bert's mother, on the other hand, was an ever-present and kindly woman, who was a mother to Mary in her own mother's absence.

The years passed and Mary and Bert grew up together. At the age of nineteen, after finishing secondary school, his father encouraged him to enlist in the Navy, which he did. On Mary's seventeenth birthday, he bid her farewell and left for a year-long tour of the Atlantic.

He kissed her lightly on the cheek before swinging up onto the deck and waving goodbye. She touched her long, slender fingers lightly to the place where his lips had touched and burst into tears when the ship left the harbour. Bert's mother put a gentle arm around her shoulder and walked her back to her house, serving her tea and allowing her to confess her long-held secret feelings for Bert.

* * *

Just before Bert had boarded the ship, he said goodbye to his best friend Mary, kissing her lightly on the cheek. When he swung himself up to the deck and waved goodbye to her and his mother, he saw her touch the place where he had kissed her. The boat began to move just as he realised that he was in love with his best friend.

At night, on ship, he would draw her. He had drawn her many times before, of course – she was his best friend – but now, it was as if he was drawing her for the first time. And every night, he would write her a long letter filled with words of love. He never sent those letters, but tied them together with a bit of twine and kept them safe underneath his mattress. Every month, he wrote her a brief, impersonal letter in response to the lengthy weekly letters he would receive from her. Little did he know that she was also writing him nightly letters, tying them together with a ribbon, and hiding them underneath her mattress.

* * *

In the year that Bert was away, Mary became a nanny, travelling all over England. She made sure, however, that she was back in London for Bert's return home. That was when she saw him kissing a short, blonde woman – the exact opposite of her. She was able to remain composed until she reached her home, where she locked herself in her room and burst into tears. The next day she took a job as a nanny in Essex.

It hurt him that Mary didn't even come to welcome him home – he never realised that she had come to see him, but had seen him kissing that girl. He had only kissed her because she had pursued him with a vengeance and because he was lonely. He didn't love that girl – he never would. He would always, only, love Mary.


	4. The Will

Chapter Four: The Will

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Bert kept seeing the girl, whose name was Phoebe, despite his feelings for Mary. He tried to push his feelings for Mary away – after all, she didn't even care enough to see him when he returned from his year-long tour with the Navy. So he tried to find love with Phoebe, but it didn't work.

Mary took a job in Essex in order to get as far away from London as she could. She tried to drown her feelings for Bert in the children she was taking care of. It didn't work – it made her long for children of her own, with Bert. But she knew that it would never happen – Bert didn't love her.

* * *

The next time that Mary and Bert saw each other was when Bert's mother died three years later. Mary had kept in touch with her throughout the years, stopping by to visit when Bert was out of the house. Mary had also kept tabs on Bert, though he didn't know that – magic came in handy.

So she wasn't surprised when he brought Phoebe to his mother's funeral – hurt, yes, but not surprised. After all, Bert had been courting her for the past three years.

Mary dressed in her most becoming clothes – black, of course, because she was in mourning for the woman who had been like a mother to her – to try to show Bert that she wasn't a little girl anymore.

Bert dressed in his new black suit, bought just for the occasion. He didn't know if Mary would be there – he didn't think that she would. He brought Phoebe, whom he had been courting for the past three years, and prepared himself to bury his mother.

To his great surprise, Mary was there, looking sad yet radiantly beautiful. He hadn't seen her for four years, and he would not have recognised her if she hadn't been standing with her uncle Albert. She was beautiful, with smooth, creamy skin, flushed cheeks, shining dark hair, and a slim figure. He could barely take his eyes off her during the entire funeral.

Bert was as handsome as ever – tall, strong, manly – and she could feel him watching her throughout the service, to the chagrin of Phoebe. Though she longed to be the cause of their separation, she knew that she couldn't hurt Bert in that way, so she disappeared just as the funeral ended.

* * *

She had to see him again, however, the next day, for the reading of the will. She sat across the table from him, and it was so hard for her to keep her eyes on her hands. It was even harder once the will was read.

_I, Kathleen Alfred, being of sound mind and sound body, do hereby declare that this is my last will and testament, thereby rendering null and void any such testaments previously made by me._

_Save only for the special bequests made below, all my worldly goods and moneys and properties pass to my husband, Admiral Kenneth Alfred, upon my death._

_Special Bequests:_

_Firstly, to my son, Albert Alfred, hereafter known as Bert, my wedding and engagement rings, along with the rest of my jewellery, to be given to the woman he desires to marry._

_Secondly, to my neighbour and good friend Albert Poppins, my books, with gratitude for his long friendship._

_Thirdly, to my neighbour and surrogate daughter Mary Poppins, hereafter known as Mary, niece of Albert Poppins, my parrot-headed umbrella, to be used in both fair and foul weather._

_Finally, to Bert and to Mary, my diaries and letters, to be perused by both together immediately after this will is read._

_Signed,_

_Kathleen Alfred_


	5. Revelations

Chapter Five: Revelations

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The will reading was over – the solicitor left Kathleen's diaries and letters in the middle of the table before filing out of the room along with the rest of the people in attendance, save Mary and Bert. They stared at each other in silence for a few moments before Bert spoke.

"Hello, Mary," he said simply, his eyes still taking in her new appearance. She was even more beautiful than she had been when he first realised that he was in love with her.

"Hello, Bert," she replied. She, too, was drinking in his appearance, and she too thought that he only grew more handsome in the years that they were apart.

They looked at each other for a few more minutes in silence, before Mary reached for the first diary.

"Shall we read it?" she asked Bert, and he nodded, standing up from his seat and walking around the table to sit next to her. She fought down a shiver as his fingers brushed the back of her hand as he held half of the diary. To their great surprise, only the first page was written on.

_My dear Mary and Bert,_

_If you are reading this, it means that I have left this world. Do not mourn me, for it was my time to depart, and I am not sorry – especially if I can help you from beyond the grave._

_Bert, Mary is in love with you – she has been for years. It was your own blindness that prevented you from seeing it. You came to me after your return from your year in the Navy, claiming that Mary did not come to see you. That is not true – she did come, but she was only able to make it to London four days after you returned. You never saw her because you were with Phoebe – kissing her, to be precise. That's why you haven't seen her – it's not that she doesn't love you, because she does – but she told me that she believes that you are happy, and she doesn't want to ruin that for you._

_But, my son, it is not all your fault. Mary is to blame as well. My darling, I have loved you like a daughter, but your unhappiness is partially your fault as well. Bert is in love with you – he took up with Phoebe because he believed that you abandoned him. I know that you believed that he was happy, and you didn't want to ruin that for him, but you should have gone to see him after he returned, despite the fact that you saw him kissing Phoebe. It would have solved everything, my dear. I never understood fully why you didn't go to see him after you saw Bert kissing Phoebe – if Bert had feelings for you, which he did, and does, then he would have – and hopefully will, now that he knows that you love him too – left Phoebe. And if Bert didn't have feelings for you, he would at least know that the friendship you two shared meant something to you as well._

_I hope that after you two finish reading this letter, you will talk about the revelations I have made. Know that I love you both so much, and that is why I have revealed this information, in hopes that you two will be happy – happy together, as happy as Bert's father and I were._

_All my love,_

_Kathleen Alfred._

Mary finished the letter first, and dug about in her small handbag for her handkerchief – to wipe away the tears she had shed and to obscure her face for a moment as she pondered Kathleen's revelations. She felt a bubble of hope rise in her breast. Was it true? Did Bert really love her? She knew that she had made a mistake by not seeing Bert after he returned, but it had just hurt her so much to see him with another woman. She hoped that she would be able to rectify the errors she had made.

When Bert finished the letter, he set the diary down on the table and took Mary's hand, looking her in the eye, before drawing her closer to him and placing a gentle, tender kiss on her lips.

"Is it true, Bert?" she asked when their kiss ended. He looked at her, even more beautiful than ever though there were tears in her eyes, and slowly nodded.

"It's true, Mary. I love you," Bert said quietly, his voice a bit uncertain. He looked into her eyes again. "Do you love me too?"

She stood up from her seat and placed her hands on his shoulders, sliding onto his lap. "There aren't even words to describe how much I love you, Bert," she whispered in his ear, laying her head against his shoulder. He smiled, lifting her chin with a single finger, and bringing his mouth to meet hers in a sweet kiss. That was how Phoebe found them.


	6. Confrontation

Chapter Six: Confrontation

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A/N: This is the last chapter - a major shout-out goes to everyone who has been faithfully reading and reviewing this story - THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!!

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"Bert!" Phoebe cried out, scandalised to find her beau of three years kissing another woman. He broke apart from the woman and stared at Phoebe guiltily.

"Phoebe... I'm sorry," he began, pushing the woman off his lap. She turned away from him and left the room with Bert hurrying after her. He grabbed her elbow, forcing her to turn towards him; she tried to wrench her arm out of his grip, but he was too strong for her.

"Phoebe, listen to me!" he demanded, moving his hands to her shoulders. "I'm sorry that you had to see that, but I love Mary – I have loved her for years. My mother's diary just revealed how blind Mary and I had been to each other's feelings. I love her, Phoebe, and I'm sorry that I have to hurt you, but I cannot see you anymore," Bert explained, rambling a bit.

She slapped him in the face and, startled, he released her from his grip. She rushed out of the room, out of the house, and did not stop running until she reached her house.

* * *

After Phoebe had left, Bert returned to the dining room, where Mary sat waiting for him.

"I'm sorry about Phoebe, Bert," she said. He took two giant steps across the room and embraced her tightly.

"Don't be, my love," he whispered into her ear. "I've always only loved you. You are the only one for me – Phoebe is nothing."

She smiled at him and stretched up to kiss his lips lightly. He responded, and their kiss grew in passion as Mary pressed herself against him. When they broke out of their embrace for air, Bert released her from his arms and knelt at her feet, fumbling in his pocket for his mother's engagement ring.

"Mary, I love you. Will you be my wife?" he asked her, finally freeing the ring from his pocket and holding it out to her. The three small diamonds set in the gold band glittered in the late afternoon sun that was streaming through the windows.

Mary clapped her hands to her mouth and stared, wanting to remember this moment for eternity. "Yes, I will marry you," she breathed, and Bert smiled, taking her hand and slipping the ring onto her finger. It was a perfect fit.

As Mary admired the ring, Bert stood and embraced her from behind, holding her left hand in his so that he could admire the ring as well. It looked as though it was meant to be on her slender hand, the diamond glittering, the gold band accenting her creamy skin. He let her hand drop and wrapped his arms tightly around her waist as he nuzzled the back of her neck.

"I love you, Mary," Bert whispered in her ear for what must have been the thousandth time that day.

She turned her head and smiled at him. "And I love you, Bert – I love you."


	7. Planning

Chapter Six: Planning

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Thanks to so much encouragement from the people at the Julie Andrews Forum, I've decided to continue this story. Thank you all, my dears, and I hope that you enjoy this chapter - and don't worry, it's not the last one!!

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Bert and Mary spent the next few weeks planning their wedding. They would be married within the month, in a tiny chapel near their homes. After their marriage, they would move into the small house that Mary's Uncle Albert and Bert's father had purchased for them.

The days until their wedding slipped by quickly, now that they had discovered their shared love. Mary and Bert simply could not spend enough time with each other, especially after four wasted years of not seeing each other. At night, they would stay up in Bert's father's house, in the living room, just talking, cuddling, kissing... making up for lost time.

The night before their wedding, Mary and Bert discussed their plans for the future. When the clock struck eleven, however, Mary bade Bert goodnight, not wanting to break the tradition of Bert seeing her the day of the wedding. She retired to bed, with one final kiss to his lips, and fell asleep, dreaming of their wedding day.

Bert stayed downstairs for a bit longer, thinking about his upcoming marriage to Mary. He loved her so much, had loved her for years, and was finally going to be her husband. He had wanted to be her husband for so many years, and he could not believe that they would be married tomorrow.

When the clock struck midnight, he went up to bed, pausing outside of Mary's door. He was tempted to peek in and watch her sleep, but did not want to risk the bad luck of the groom seeing the bride before the wedding. He blew a kiss to her door before going to his own bedroom to fall asleep.

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Early the next morning, Mary woke up to her friend the Robin singing outside her window. She got out of bed and opened the window and the Robin hopped in.

"Congratulations, Mary Poppins!" the Robin sang, hopping onto her outstretched finger.

"Thank you," Mary said, smiling at him. He hopped off her finger again as a knock sounded at the door. It was her Uncle Albert. The Robin flew out of the open window as Mary went to the door.

"Hello, Mary," Uncle Albert said, kissing her cheek lightly. "Today's the big day!" he exclaimed happily.

"I know," Mary said, blushing becomingly.

"I'll leave you to get ready, my dear," he said, and left the room. When he had left, Mary walked to her wardrobe and took out her wedding dress, a beautiful white gown with a lacy overskirt. Other than the lace, it was quite simple, with no train, but accented her beauty in a way a more elaborate gown would not.

Mary emerged from her room a few minutes later, and her Uncle Albert was waiting for her. He escorted her to the church, where Bert and his father were waiting.

"Thank you so much, Uncle Albert, for everything," Mary said, just as the wedding march began to play. He squeezed her hand lightly, tears in her eyes.

"Of course, dear," he replied, and the chapel doors opened. Her uncle began to walk her down the aisle, and she looked up at her fiancé.

Bert looked the happiest that she had ever seen him, and she could tell that there were tears in his eyes. She smiled at him, tears of joy streaming down her face. As they stepped closer to Bert, Mary's smile widened. They finally reached Bert, and Uncle Albert placed Mary's hand in Bert's. Uncle Albert stepped aside and Bert and Mary smiled at each other, before turning to the priest.

"Do you, Albert Alfred, take Mary Poppins to be your lawfully wedded wife?" the priest asked.

"I do," he said, smiling down at her.

"And do you, Mary Poppins, take Albert Alfred to be your lawfully wedded husband?" he asked Mary.

"I do," she said, looking up at her fiancé adoringly.

"Then you may kiss the bride!" he exclaimed.

Bert lifted the veil off her face and wrapped his arms around her waist while she looped her arms around his neck. He bent down and captured her waiting lips with his. As they broke out of the kiss, Bert scooped his new bride up in his arms and carried her down the aisle to the waiting carriage, which would take them to their new house.

"I love you, Mary," he whispered, kissing her again.

"And I love you, Bert," she replied, returning his kiss. "I love you forever."


	8. Marriage

Chapter Seven: Marriage

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The last chapter of my fic - I hope that you all enjoy!! Thanks for the encouragement, dears!

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When Mary and Bert arrived at their new home, Bert jumped out of the carriage and helped her out.

"Thank you, Bert," she said, smiling at him.

He took her hand and they walked up the path to their new home. Taking a key out of his pocket, he unlocked the door, and turned back to Mary. She looked up at him adoringly, and he smiled down at her, scooping her up in his arms. She giggled, quite uncharacteristically for her, but he smiled at her.

"I love you, Mary," he said as he carried her over the threshold.

"And I love you, Bert," she replied, kissing him. He pulled back from her and carried her up the stairs to their new bedroom. When they reached the bedroom, he set her down on her feet, and walked to the bed, turning down the covers, before turning back to his wife.

She smiled at him and snapped her fingers, causing their clothes to fall off their bodies. Mary's wedding dress flew into the wardrobe, hanging itself up. Bert's jacket flew into the wardrobe as well, and his pants folded themselves and landed on top of their dresser. Their shoes neatly lined up at the foot of the bed. Mary smiled at him.

"Magic does have its uses, doesn't it?" she asked him, continuing to smile as she stepped closer to him.

He was frozen in place, utterly transfixed by her beauty.

"Bert?" she asked him, concerned. She touched his chest lightly, which brought him out of his trance.

"You're beautiful, Mary," he said, wrapping his arms around her waist.

"Thank you," she said pertly, and he smiled down at her. "Shall we go to bed?" she asked him, taking his hand. Bert nodded eagerly. With one more snap of her fingers, the curtains in their bedroom closed. He picked her up again and brought her to bed.

* * *

The next morning, Bert awoke first, and was able to watch his new bride sleep. Mary was so beautiful normally, but eminently more beautiful like this – her dark hair spread across the pillow, her mouth set in a relaxed smile, a faint hint of colour staining her cheeks. She began to stir, opening her large blue eyes. Her smile grew when she saw Bert watching her.

"Good morning, darling," he whispered, bending down to kiss her lips lightly.

"Good morning, Bert," she replied, smiling softly up at him. He kissed her lips again, and again; unwilling to stop kissing her. She responded willingly, eagerly, and wrapped her arms around his neck, holding him close to her.

"I cannot believe that we are finally married," Mary said once they had broken out of their kiss. "After so many years..."

"Nor can I," he said. "I love you, Mary – I've loved you all my life, and will continue to love you until the day I die."

"But you won't die, Bert," she said, smiling at his look of astonishment. "You became immortal, like me, like Uncle Albert, when we were married."

"Then what about your parents?" he asked her. "Weren't they immortal too?"

"Yes, they were," Mary said. "They are still alive, after all – they just were not suited to being parents. They live in America now; I haven't seen them since I was five years old."

"I'm sorry, Mary," he said, stroking her cheek softly.

"It's quite all right, Bert," she said briskly. "I know that they love me. But Bert..." she trailed off, looking up at him.

"Yes, darling?"

"Do you want children?" she asked him tentatively, her fingers tracing delicate patterns on his chest. She did not dare to look up at him, but he slipped his fingers beneath her chin, tilting her face up to his.

"Do you?" he asked.

She dropped her eyes, uncharacteristically embarrassed, anxious, and nodded slightly.

"Look at me, Mary," he said, his voice expressionless. She looked up into his eyes, which were filled with joy. She began to smile, and he beamed at her, kissing her repeatedly. "I love you, Mary," he said once again.

"I love you," she replied, and kissed him.

* * *

Mary and Bert continued their married life happily, living in perfect harmony together in their little house near where they had grown up. Their first days of marriage passed with them just spending time together – both in bed and out of it – and they made up for the past four years when they were apart. As the years of their marriage passed, Mary continued her nanny work, while Bert continued working odd jobs, just to keep busy while Mary was working. Four years after their marriage, Mary gave birth to their first - and only - child, a girl, who they named Helen Lyndon. When she grew up, she changed her name to Pamela Lyndon Travers, and wrote a best-selling series of books about her mother.

And they all lived happily ever after.


End file.
